Quite Contrary

“Aaaaand, Tia for the save.”

Mary muttered to herself as she watched the sunrise from a small hill of sand a few meters away, so as not to impose upon the two alicorns as they spoke of old times. They both lay on the beach on their backs, one with a deflated yet defiantly impressive cock, the other with a cunt drooling with silky fluids, and their heads were close enough that they could speak softly, allowing the natural sounds of an island morning to drift across the salty air as their two horns touched in a tender, familiar way.

The doctor had awakened only an hour previous, her strength restored just enough to drag herself upright, and for a while, she let the conversation about shared friends and enemies pass in and out of her awareness as she luxuriated in her continued existence. All around her were the signs of a once-in-a-century tidal wave, with pulverized sand, detritus from the sea and hapless ocean creatures covering the beach for kilometers around. But in a clearing a few meters wide, containing exactly three individuals, the sand was still pristine and sparkling. Celestia’s magical protection was not to be trifled with: if Mary had ever had any doubts about that, they had been extinguished as surely as the plinths of sodium chloride that were even now dissolving into puddles all over the shore.

“They’re all gone. I can’t sense even one.” Twilight sounded more bemused than anything else as she marveled at Celestia’s feat. “I always knew there might be such a flaw in the plan, but I considered it totally theoretical. I never dreamed, for even a moment, that you’d be able to send waves down on every coastline around the world. So much for redundancy.”

Celestia chuckled, managing to sound cutely self-conscious. “It wasn’t a bad idea. Connect a series of magical objects to each other, as well as to a material source — in this case, the seas — and any countermeasures become very limited. That little dip in the ocean just happened to give me the opportunity I needed to weave the solution. If your toys couldn’t be destroyed individually, there was only one way to proceed. I did what was necessary.”

Twilight’s nod was slow and tired. “No wonder you’d drained your mana. Any other pony would’ve sent themselves into a coma trying to do what you did. And that’s not even mentioning that dirty trick with your penis. I never want to hear you even breathe the words 'fair play' ever again.”

Celestia gave another, cheekier laugh. “Why, I’ve never been so offended in my life. How dare you suggest I might have wrapped a spell within a spell faster than you would have ever expected, right before attacking so you wouldn’t have time to notice what I’d done? Harumph.”

The younger alicorn shook her head. “‘Underestimate the Princess at your peril.’ I’d heard that saying often, but I’ve never felt the truth of it until now. You never stopped learning, growing, fighting for your ponies. And here I am, screwing up a plot like a third-rate cartoon villain.” Twilight put a foreleg to her eyes, shielding them from the glare coming off the waves. “Fifteen percent, huh?”

Celestia touched Twilight’s flank with a gentle hoof. “It’ll get stronger as you age, I'm afraid. Cadance had to deal with it, too, although she’s…never had as much impulse control as I might have wished.”

“Obviously,” Twilight said in a flat tone. Then, she sighed deeply. “Well, if both of you can handle it, then I can. I’ll consider it…psychic training, or something.”

Celestia’s smile held pride and sadness in equal measure. “You could have kept running away from what you are, but now you’re facing everything head on. That’s wonderful, Twilight. I’ll help you as much as I can, I promise.”

Twilight said nothing, only staring into space, as if seeing all her future challenges laid out before her. Her eyes abruptly hardened with a new resolve as she rose from the sand on steady legs. She turned to Celestia as the older alicorn followed suit, brushing debris from her normally pristine coat.

“So. What happens now?”

Celestia gave her former charge a somber look, seeming to dread saying what had to be said. “Now, I’m going to send you to the dungeons to await trial, although since we’ve implemented the prison reforms you brought up before you left, the experience has become much less nasty than it used to be. Still…justice must be served, and I am a servant of justice. I’ll be with you every step of the way. Afterward…well, you’re young. You have much yet to learn, and I have much to teach.”

Again, Twilight went silent, knowing that there was little more she could add. She only squared her small shoulders, preparing for her fate as Celestia’s horn glowed with the transportation magic.

Before the spell could be completed, however, the Princess furrowed her brow. “Oh. Before I forget. Your dear brother Shining Armor is going to lead a delegation to the dragons in another week. Since I’d hate for Cadance to get lonely, I’ve invited her to stay over at the castle. Doubtless she’ll want to visit you in your cell sometime…right when the guards just happen to be away on patrol. It might even take a few hours, although I’m sure nothing untoward will happen in the meantime. Take care, dear Twilight.”

The look on the young alicorn’s face before she vanished into the ether made Mary shudder, and her cunt clench. She made a mental note to speak to Luna about getting something set up before everything went down. She didn’t want to miss a thing.

As Mary rose from her spot she caught Celestia’s eye, and the Princess’ expression said that she understood some of what the doctor was thinking.

“Three gifts have I given that pony now. The gift of her hymen that was stolen by one she trusted most, the terrible legacy of her alicorn heritage, and a drop of vengeance to cool her burning thirst. Yet, she threatened your life. Do you find my justice unfair, Doctor?”

Mary laughed as if she’d just heard the funniest joke in the world. “Princess, I don’t know what the fuck justice means in this scenario. Everything’s all screwed up. But recognizing that is probably the first step forward. I trust you, and Twilight trusts you. There’s not much more to it.”

Celestia looked thoughtful as she stepped toward Mary, picking up her pace as she saw the doctor sag to to her knees in a sudden swoon. “Climb up. I’ll take you home. I’d float you, but I’m rather done in, too.”

Mary grinned as she clambered onto Celestia’s back. “Hi-ho, Silver. You know I’m never gonna let you live this down, right?”

Celestia gave a last look out toward the bright sunrise before turning toward home. “Just don’t tell my sister. She might get the wrong idea, especially if she finds my bit and bridle. Now heal thyself, Doctor, and get some rest.”

Mary’s tinkling laugh faded as sleep overtook her.